Genetic and Chronic Diseases

Genetic Topics
Topic 5 DQ 1
Obesity is a health condition that emanates from having excess fat in the body exceeding the normal amount for their particular height. It progresses over time through the intake of more calories than recommended by a physician. The chance of getting cardiovascular diseases increases amongst obese people, as well as specific types of cancer and depression. Nonetheless, nutrition can affect positively overweight people and help them regulate the amount of fat in their body. By nourishing the body with the correct nutrients such as proteins, vitamins and minerals, stored up fat can be effectively broken down. Additionally, including high fiber in the dietary consumption of patients afflicted with obesity assists in reducing their appetite and ensuring fat is absorbed appropriately. However, nutrition can impact this condition negatively since an increased intake of high energy foods containing sugar and processed fat leads to obesity.
Topic 5 DQ 2
Goiter is a malnutrition disorder primarily caused by the lack of iodine in the body. Regarding environmental influences, smoking and childbirth in areas where iodine intake is low have been proven an influence for gaining the disorder. In a general twin population, genetic factors within a family have been proven to contribute to getting the disorder. According to WHO, the prevalence of the disease is 50%, and it is more likely to occur in women whose statistic is at 55% when compared to a 47% figure on the male side. Testing includes a doctor first feeling the patient’s neck to tell if the thyroid is enlarged then blood tests are conducted to screen the blood to detect the production of thyroid hormones. Treatment is consequently based on medication through levothyroxine, surgery to remove part or all of the thyroid gland or simple observation if the goiter is not causing harm to the patient.
Topic 6 DQ 1
Older adults often suffer from conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis and various heart conditions that worsen with age. Nonetheless, technology has proved that the source of these diseases lies in the genetic makeup of an individual’s DNA. By sequencing a person’s genome, doctors can detect any defects within the genes of older adults before they gain some of these conditions. Subsequently, physicians and doctors can then suggest certain life choices that will go a long way into reducing the risk of acquiring these diseases. Not only does this revolutionize the preparation of the elderly to conditions such as Alzheimer’s, but it also saves them resources regarding the monetary cost used in purchasing drugs and maintaining a rigorous course of physical therapy in the case of arthritis(Khalil, Chambers, Munn & Porritt, 2015). For instance, doctors are now able to determine the genes necessary for life longevity, which increases the chances of aging people to be relevant in social and political matters way past their retirement age.
Topic 6 DQ 2
Home care has evolved using evidence-based data to suit the needs of the elderly. Evidence-based data is gained through using the best evidence, a touch of clinical expertise and the ability to change home care systems to cater for the unique medical condition of each aging patient. Therefore, their values and preferences are ingrained into home care delivery by making their environment safe enabling them to live in their homes rather than a nursing home. Ultimately, it contributes to a huge save in taxpayers’ money that is re-directed into other sectors of the government. It also improves care primarily because the patient’s data is already with the doctor, enhancing their diagnosis with each checkup. In the end, it saves resources and materials, which will bring families closer to previously inaccessible methods.
Topic 7 DQ 1
With the evolution of technology, doctors can sequence and map the human genome thereby able to identify any defects within genes (Kucherlapati & Cabot, 2015). However, the machines used to attain DNA sequences to enable doctors to compare and contrast them are quite expensive. As the global population progresses, the prices have dropped in the demand for better healthcare services. These services identify a cancer gene in a person’s body and helping them reduce the risk of attaining it through presenting them with better lifestyle options. By phasing out such chronic illnesses, the government spends less on hospital materials and people as well reduce expenditures on their health especially when it comes to chronic diseases such as obesity and Alzheimer’s disease. One example lies in the Tay-Sachs disease, which has been eradicated within the Ashkenazi Jewish population due to the favorable determination of individual susceptibility.
Topic 7 DQ 2
The Innovative Care for Chronic Conditions is a healthcare system that deals with the increasing problem of chronic condition (Khalil, Chambers, Munn & Porritt, 2015). The innovation includes evidence-based data to assess and analyze conditions under which such patients are treated. Furthermore, the framework improves upon the manner in which patients connect to their healthcare solutions based on their desires and different choices. Not only is it useful for disease prevention, but it also helps to efficiently manage chronic illnesses in patients by influencing the healthcare policy around them and the organization of services relevant to their well-being. In future, the system will minimize the use of resources such as time and money in taking care of chronic patients and contribute to a more streamlined way of offering medical services.
Topic 8 DQ 1
Bethesda Md. Published an article in October 2017 that looked into skin pigmentation and why specific regions of the human genome are responsible for skin color difference in some African populations (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2014). This research assists in determining if these DNA sequences can determine the susceptibility of some people to ultraviolet light and further cell strain. By understanding the cells that are responsible for skin pigmentation and looking into their genetic formulation, the diseases such as cancer can be prevented especially in individuals who a DNA sequence that puts them at a higher risk for skin cancer.
As a registered nurse, this research introduces profound development in crossing racial lines through realizing the similarity between the genome of people from various races. Furthermore, by determining the susceptibility of some patients early enough, they can be advised to make better lifestyle choices, reducing their healthcare costs and saving them fiscally. Whereas ethical and legal implications are not apparent yet, society can benefit greatly from this information especially in those African populations where the DNA sequences have been analyzed.
Topic 8 DQ 2
One of the issues that undermine clients in genetic decision-making is their fear of privacy violation (Kirk, Calzone, Arimori & Tonkin, 2011). Each person owns their genetic sequence and therefore deserves the right to do what they wish with it. The government protects that element of privacy. However, personal health data gets compromised when dealing the storage and retrieval of DNA sequence data. Additionally, misuse of information obtained through genetic analysis is another factor that hinders efficient decision-making (Kirk, Calzone, Arimori & Tonkin, 2011). Whereas the reason for volunteering genetic data may be honest, the military, school adoption agencies, and employers will have access to genetic information once provided. It then raises the question of how they will use in future circumstances. However, as the patient advocate, I would encourage the signing of a legal document that preserves the rights of the client to monitor their genetic information and take legal action if their privacy is violated.


References
Khalil, H., Chambers, H., Munn, Z., & Porritt, K. (2015). Improving Chronic Diseases Management Through the Development of an Evidence-Based Resource. Worldviews On Evidence-Based Nursing, 12(3), 139-144.
Kirk, M., Calzone, K., Arimori, N., & Tonkin, E. (2011). Genetics-Genomics Competencies and Nursing Regulation. Journal Of Nursing Scholarship, 43(2), 107-116.
Kucherlapati, R., & Cabot, P. (2015). Personalized Medicine — How Genetics and Genomics are Transforming Healthcare. Quest Diagnostics Education Center. Retrieved 9 November 2017, from https://education.questdiagnostics.com/insights/86
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2014). Nurses Lead Innovations in Geriatrics and Gerontology. RWJF. Retrieved 9 November 2017, from https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/articles-and-news/2014/07/nurses-lead-innovations-in-geriatrics-and-gerontology.html